PEM200 User Manual
12
1
Introduction
Overview
The PEM200 Photoelastic Modulator is an instrument used for modulating or varying (at
a fixed frequency) the polarization of a light beam. Hinds Photoelastic Modulators are
used for measurement of circular and linear dichroism, birefringence, optical rotation,
ellipsometry, polarimetry, reflection difference spectroscopy and FTIR double
modulation.
The PEM200 principle of operation is based on the photoelastic effect, in which a
mechanically stressed sample exhibits birefringence proportional to the resulting strain.
Photoelastic modulators are resonant devices, each producing oscillating birefringence
at a fixed frequency in the low frequency ultrasound range (20 kHz to 82 kHz). These
factors result in a number of very useful advantages, which are unique to the PEM
including wide acceptance angle, large aperture and high modulation “purity.”
Figure 1.1 provides an overview of the PEM200 photoelastic modulator system which
includes the PEM-200 Controller, Optical Head, and the Head-to-Controller cables.
Figure 1.1 PEM200 Photoelastic Modulator